From the means of transport of the Capital to the subsidiaries of high-tech businesses. From mechanical equipment to consultancy services and law firms. Also, heating and air conditioning systems, electronic devices, optical fibres and successful perfume shop chains all the way down to the strategic industries of our economy which, until a few years ago, were rated an all-Italian legacy, such as food and beverages, marble quarrying and processing. Ultimately, football.
Today the Italian market totals over 244 groups of Chinese investors, whereas the Italian companies numbering Chinese shareholders are 509. Steadily on the rise, this phenomenon employs over 27k people and totals a business volume accounting for nearly 15,3 billion euros.
In collaboration with Assolombarda Confindustria Milano Monza and Brianza and the Italian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Italy and China Foundation and Associna presented on June 19th, 2017, the 7th edition of Italy China Career Day. For six years the event has been the benchmark setting for any company in pursuit of Chinese native speakers to hire and young candidates having developed Chinese-speaking skills and an inclination to the Chinese culture and business environment.
The opportunities the New Chinese Silk Way offers to Italian companies were at the heart of the workshop “Belt and Road Initiative, business opportunities for Italy and China”. Promoted by the law firm Dentons and by the Italy China Foundation of Milan, then workshop was attended by an audience of over 200 entrepreneurs.
Belt and Road Initiative, the workshop about business opportunities for Italy and China
The morning working session opened with the welcome of Cesare Romiti, Chairman of the Italy China Foundation, Ettore Francesco Sequi, Italian ambassador in Beijing (via video streaming) and Xuefeng Song, Chinese General Consul in Milan.
The keynote speech, dealing with the theme “The BRI challenges and the role of Italy”, was delivered by Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister and former Chairman of the European Commission, Chairman of the Foundation for the Collaboration among Peoples.
To the panel dedicated to finance, moderated by lawyer Federico Sutti, managing partner of the law firm Dentons, participated Enzo Quattrociocche, Secretary General EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development); Sun Min, Head Corporate & Investment Banking ICBC Italy; Massimiliano Cattozzi, Head of Industry Energy & Utilities Intesa Sanpaolo; Andrew Wu, General Manager Dagong Europe.
The industrial panel saw the participation of Diao Faming, President MEPC China Metallurgical Engineering & Project Corp; Riccardo Monti, President Italferr; Edward Chan, CEO Huawei Italia and Xugang Yu, Partner Dentons Beijing.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was announced in 2013 by President Xi Jinping and solemnly got under way during the Beijing Forum held last 14th and 15th May, attended by foreign Heads of State, among whom the Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. The program – also known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR) – aims at revitalizing the ancient Silk Way thanks to the creation of economic corridors from China to Europe, with the involvement of Central Asian countries overland and South-Eastern countries by sea. The New Silk Way is meant to involve countries which total over 60% of the worldwide GNP, 70% of the worldwide population and 755 of the known energy supplies. According to the forecasts, the investments in infrastructures revolving around the BRI program are estimated to total some 300 billion US dollars a year.
The launch of the Belt and Road Initiative takes place in a context where China has already changed its economic projections abroad. In fact, since 2015 Chinese investments abroad have outnumbered foreign investments in China. Confirmed in 2016 with over 170 billion dollars, such figure is a telltale sign that China has grown into a full-fledged investor. [Source: yearly report “China 2017” CeSIF-Italy China Foundation].
“Italy must seize the opportunities the New Silk Way will provide to the Italian companies and regions not only to gain strategic access to the old continent but also as ultimate investment destination – stated Cesare Romiti, chairman of the Italy China Foundation. From the very outset, the Italy China Foundation has been committed to promoting and spreading information about the project. An endeavour we strive to abide by also thanks to the role we play as the only Italian partner to the Silk Road Business Council – together with the Italian Chinese Chamber of Commerce – following the agreement signed with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)”.
The Companies Training “The Belt and Road of the new professions between Italy and China: fine-tuning future dreams” was co-authored by Francesco Boggio Ferraris, Head of the School of Continuing Education of the Italy China Foundation and Dario Brivio, CCO at Kilpatrick.
The training was directed, through two separate sessions, to young Chinese and Italian candidates and HR managers of the participating companies. During the morning’s workshop, the focus laid on providing the candidates with facts and challenges in the new business environment with enhanced relationship between companies of both Italy and China and candidates also got advice for intercultural career. While in the afternoon, the training effort aimed at providing the HR managers the right ways to look at working in international contexts, companies had the opportunity to develop valid interrelational strategies with the Chinese partner or employee.
After the training, there was a recruiting session devoted entirely to Chinese / Italian company / resource meetings with specific linguistic and cultural backgrounds aimed at China. Companies, including Kilpatrick, met candidates in form of job interview to evaluate their profiles.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
8.30am Accreditation
9.00am Opening of working session: welcome ceremony
Assolombarda Confindustria Milano Monza and Brianza
Margherita Barberis – Director General of Italy China Foundation
Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Milan
Bai Junyi – President Emeritus of Associna
Francesco Boggio Ferraris – Head of the School of Continuing Education of the Italy China Foundation
10.30am Commencement of training sessions
SESSION 10.30am – 12.00am
Hall A_Candidates Training
The Belt and Road of the new professions between Italy and China: fine-tuning future dreams
Co-authored speech: Francesco Boggio Ferraris, Head of the School of Continuing Education of the Italy China Foundation and Dario Brivio, CCO at Kilpatrick
Hall B_Companies Training
Cross-cultural management and negotiation in the Chinese context
Speech by Prof. Bo Ji, CKGSB Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
12.00am – 1.30pm Lunch break
SESSION 1.30pm – 3.00pm
Hall A_Candidates Training
Win in China: tap into Chinese Market for growth
Speech by Prof. Bo Ji, CKGSB Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
Hall B_Companies Training
The Belt and Road of the new professions between Italy and China: fine-tuning future dreams
Co-authored speech: Francesco Boggio Ferraris, Head of the School of Continuing Education of the Italy China Foundation
3.00pm – 6.30pm
The companies meet the candidates
More infos at: http://www.italychina.org/it/la-fondazione/area-news/all/2017/06/411/